TWO OF HEARTS by Christina Lee-Review and Giveaway

TWO OF HEARTS
by Christina Lee
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 5, 2015

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she’s entrusted with the family’s casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional —not exactly the best time to see an old lover she’s never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he’s come home for her father’s funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he’d lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she’s also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She’s not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father’s shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

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REVIEW: TWO OF HEARTS is a stand alone adult, contemporary romance storyline by Christina Lee. This is casino owner Dakota Nakos, and U.S. Marshal Shane Garrity’s storyline. Dakota and Shane were first introduced in Whisper to Me from Christina Lee’s new adult Between Breaths Series. TWO OF HEARTS is an adult storyline that advances the original premise/series five years. It is not a spin off but more of a look to the future.

Told from two first person points of view (Dakota and Shane) TWO OF HEARTS looks at a Native American community of casinos and resorts; the infighting, the competition, the threats from outside sources, and the feared disintegration of the Native communities. There are some generic references to the Native struggles to retain ownership of their lands and control of their casinos, and there is also a peek into the fears of an aboriginal peoples whose numbers are decimated by addiction and marrying outside of the community. TWO OF HEARTS is NOT a story about discrimination or bigotry against Native Americans but perhaps discrimination against those not born of Native blood. It is a fictional story about one particular Native community and their need to stand together and support one another when one of their tribal elders is murdered.

Dakota’s father was murdered leaving his wife and daughter in charge of the family owned Golden Arrow Casino. What ensues is a plot against both the casino and the Nakos family in the hopes of selling the business to another casino operator. Enter U.S. Marshal Shane Garrity-Dakota’s ex boyfriend and the man who stole her heart years before. Shane is on leave from the U.S. Marshal’s office as he considers his future, and with his return home he wants his future to be with Dakota Nakos-but first-Shane begins an investigation, with the help of the U.S. Marshal’s office, into the murder of Dakota’s father and the threats against the woman that he loves.

TWO OF HEARTS is a second chance storyline for Dakota and Shane. Five years earlier Shane announced he wanted to be a U.S. Marshal marking the beginning of the estrangement between himself and Dakota Nakos. Dakota was unwilling to beg Shane to stay; and Shane wasn’t willing to pull Dakota away from her family. With his return, the relationship picks up immediately although Dakota fears another heartbreak when it is time for Shane to move on. The $ex scenes are intimate, passionate and emotional. Both Shane and Dakota want a future together, but a lack of communication finds our couple at odds.

The secondary characters include Kai (Dakota’s brother) and his wife Rachel from Whisper to Me (Between Breaths 3). In the ensuing time, Kai and Rachel have struggled to start a family-TWO OF HEARTS- sees a more positive outlook for the familiar pair. We are also introduced to a number of supporting characters including several Casino employees, some members of the Native Community and of course the requisite evil in the form of the people hoping to destroy the Nakos family.

TWO OF HEARTS is a fast paced, inspiring, and spirited storyline. There are moments of mystery and suspense; heartbreak and grief; romance and love. Through it all, two people fight the odds, for their own happily ever after.

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

The Reading Cafe and Christina’s publisher are offering a paper copy of TWO OF HEARTS to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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9. Giveaway runs from May 3-8, 2015